From pharmacist to CEO of a pharmaceutical company

Berit Lindholm discovered her love for chemistry in secondary school. She chose the natural sciences track and later applied to the Bachelor of Science Programme in Pharmacy at Uppsala University. The Master of Science Programme in Pharmacy seemed too long at the time, but she later completed its master’s courses separately.

“In my mind, the master’s programme only led to working in a pharmacy. But once I was at university, I realised there were so many other possibilities. I continued in academia with doctoral studies in physical chemistry, where my favourite part was teaching students as a laboratory supervisor,” says Berit Lindholm.

Always chose what felt fun

Throughout her career, Berit Lindholm has held a variety of roles and positions. Her first job after completing her studies was in the quality department at Astra, but as new opportunities arose, she decided to take on a UN assignment in Somalia in 1993. There, she worked for three months at a field hospital during the ongoing war, carefully managing the available medicines.

“It was an incredibly educational experience. When I returned home, I was offered a more interesting role at Astra as a process engineer in oral medicine manufacturing, which involved a lot of chemistry. We heated, ground, boiled, measured, and calculated concentrations. I was offered a promotion due to my curiosity and problem-solving skills, but I declined because it would have meant less chemistry. Career progression has never been my main focus; having a job I enjoy has always been more important,” says Berit Lindholm.

Nevertheless, her career advanced. She later accepted a managerial position and has since held leadership roles in several pharmaceutical companies. For the past year, she has been leading Fresenius Kabi in Sweden, a company that manufactures active ingredients for biopharmaceuticals, life-saving medicines, and nutrition. Globally, Fresenius Kabi employs 40,000 people and operates around fifty factories worldwide.

“As CEO, I have overall responsibility for the company in Sweden. It is my job to ensure we operate correctly and remain an attractive employer, and I have the support of both my colleagues in Sweden and a global management team. The best part of my role is the strength of teamwork—progress happens much faster together than when working alone,” says Berit Lindholm.

Pride in the profession is key

Pride is a word she often uses. She remembers the pride in pharmaceutical knowledge that lecturers, supervisors, and professors instilled in students during her time at Uppsala.

“That pride was contagious; we were very proud of our education and our expertise. The same applies to professional life – it is important to take pride in what you know and accomplish. We should also take pride in Sweden’s strong capacity for innovation. We have an incredible innovation climate and a high level of competence, although we could be even better at taking developments all the way to production here in Sweden,” says Berit Lindholm.

For today’s pharmacy students, she wants to highlight the wide range of career opportunities available after graduation. In addition to working in pharmacies, pharmacists can work in industry with quality assurance, clinical trials, sales, regulatory compliance, pharmaceutical analysis, and much more.

“Many of today’s students put too much pressure on themselves. The job market for pharmacists and prescriptionists is strong, and there are many opportunities. Knowing the entire pharmaceutical supply chain is an advantage, so trying different roles is beneficial. The pharmacy sector will always be there, which provides a sense of security,” concludes Berit Lindholm.

Jenny Asp